2011 Ford Taurus Limited

Don't let the pretty face, slender daylight openings, and the Taurus nameplate (previously tacked onto Ford's mid-size model) fool you. Today's Taurus is one large barge. I was deceived until it came time to maneuver it into my garage. At 202.9 inches long-16.2 inches longer than the Lincoln MKX I recently drove, and just 10 inches shy of the outgoing Crown Victoria -- I barely had enough room to close the garage door and slip past the nose into my apartment. Kudos to Ford's styling team for hiding that heft so well, but the engineers did a better job of disguising the Taurus's portly size out on the road. The Taurus will never be mistaken for a sport sedan, but it does drive like a somewhat smaller vehicle. The 3.5-liter V-6 is normally aspirated in non-SHO models but still provides adequate power, and is more than happy to rev when pushed. Rear-seat passengers may be treated to acres of legroom and a generally comfortable bench seat, but I wish the front seats were a little more hospitable. The tall seating position (a hallmark of the previous Ford Five Hundred) is a little ungainly, and despite both a telescoping steering column and power-adjustable pedals, I had difficulty dialing in a position I found comfortable for long stretches of interstate driving.
- Evan McCausland, Associate Web Editor